What to do with very aggressive garter

[Ruth]

You may of seen that I posted an update on my obscurus thread regarding my Florida Blue deciding it would be a good idea to bite me. In case you didn't what happened this is what happened. While thrashing about trying to get away from me (about to be fed) my boys came running up the stairs shouting and I lost concentration and she made a dash for it. I called for my partner to help me catch her which actually wasn't too difficult but when I got hold of her I didn't hold her quite well enough and she got a hold of my thumb and chomped down. She held on and on so I got hubby to get some cold water and tried dunking her three times with no response. I tried gently prizing her jaw open as she was only held on with half her mouth but she just bit down harder. I eventually admitted defeat and pulled her gently off. She fed as normal and seemed no worse the ware. She was holding on a good 10 minutes and I so wish I took a photo as it was genuinely quite interesting as had a very good view of the inside of her mouth but hubby was white and I didn't think he would be able to take a photo lol.

Since this incident she has not improved in fact I think she's got worse. This evening she struck hard three times at me as I went past her enclosure. So hard that it can't of done her any good, it made a loud bang. There is no way I am now going to be able to remove her and not get bitten. So what is the best way to deal with this ? Is something wrong with her, she has been frisky since I got her but wasn't aggressive. Is it due to the weather warming up here in the uk and her feeling a little randy.

I am actually quite concerned that maybe there is something wrong with her and am very worried about her being stressed. Saying this she feeds fine and is healthy in every way I can see.

She has a three foot viv with hiding spots access to water and the temperature is good. She measures around 16 inches (i think) and is definitely a female.

[gibble888]

I feel for you, i have a pair infernalis and i think they hate me. First it was just the female but the male has since turned to the dark side. Mine wont strike the glass but anytime i am working in the cage im fair game for biting, tail whipping,and musking. I have started having better success handling them if i try to pick them up and they are pissy i just let them go....sometimes i think i have picked them up before they realise and then they are good and i handle them as long as i can. My prob is i work soooo much to handle them daily but thats what they need.

[guidofatherof5]

Is this a top opening enclosure?

[Ruth]

No it's a front opening enclosure.

[EKS56]

I'll be watching this thread. I have one that was as sweet as she could be until her "Spring time" arrived. Now she thinks everything that moves is food... including the tips of my fingers.
I don't know about everybody else but I bleed when I get bit. :O I don't know that I will let mine hang onto me for ten minutes or not?

[Ruth]

I'll be watching this thread. I have one that was as sweet as she could be until her "Spring time" arrived. Now she thinks everything that moves is food... including the tips of my fingers.
I don't know about everybody else but I bleed when I get bit. :O

I don't know that I will let mine hang onto me for ten minutes or not?

I let her hold on as I didn't want to damage her and was sure she would give up, she just stared at me though and kept biting trying to draw my thumb further in. I did bleed quite a bit and the sensation was a little like stinging nettles and wasn't what I would call painful. My thumb looked like I'd be caught by Brambles and didn't swell and healed very quickly. My thumb was irritated foe a few ours afterwards similar to if I had been stung by nettles. I think I may wear gloves when I need to handle her again , if I can find some small enough that i can still manage to feel things with. Though this wont help much with getting her to release.

[d_virginiana]

Some snakes are just naturally more on-edge than others and similis have a reputation for bad tempers. As long as she's eating well I'd assume nothing's wrong with her though. The only thing I can think of is that, if you spent time just hanging out in the room, she would eventually realize that she's safe in her tank and stop striking at the walls when you're near.
My new albino was the same way, but I'm in there all the time and it took him about two weeks to realize that I'm not going to eat him.

Otherwise, maybe just try not to come at her from above when you're doing stuff inside the tank?

[infernalis]

"Agressive" is exactly how I prefer my snakes.

It encourages less touching, and more looking.

[Ruth]

"Agressive" is exactly how I prefer my snakes.

It encourages less touching, and more looking.

There's no way I prefer this. I don't mind frisky and a little nip but she's out for blood lol. She actually stares at me and is of the mind set of fight not flight. I have a moody corn who will take a disliking to me every now and then which is fine , he's actually one of my favs.

At the moment she is crazy.

I'm thinking of maybe getting an enclosure that can be partitioned so that she can be sectioned off for cleaning and feeding and not handled unless totally necessary. I just hope the striking stops when I'm walking past.

[infernalis]

Here is a tip.

I keep a few "insane" snakes, I tong feed them a hopper / fuzzy mouse, and while they are busy eating it, I transfer to a tote and then clean the cage.

when done, I simply pour the snake into it's cage and close it up.

They can't bite you if they are busy eating.